Multi-suspension element for transducers

ABSTRACT

A suspension component may be used within a system for isolating vibrations produced by an electrical component. A body of the suspension component may be formed from a single piece of planar material. A suspension component includes a plurality of flexures. The plurality of flexures includes a first set of flexures configured to suspend a first sub-assembly of a transducer from support brackets, a second set of flexures configured to suspend a second sub-assembly of the transducer from the first sub-assembly, and a third set of flexures configured to suspend the second sub-assembly from the support brackets.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 16/455,582, filed Jun. 27, 2019, which is incorporated by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to transducer suspensioncomponents, and specifically to suspension components that enablemultiple degrees-of-freedom in transducers.

As consumer electronics devices become more personal and wearable,internal components are becoming increasingly proximate to each other,which can result in undesirable couplings (sometimes called asco-existence issues) between components. Mechanical andacoustomechanical components can often be aggressors in these scenarios,transferring unwanted excitation energy into 1) sensors such as cameras,accelerometers or inertial measurement units (IMUs), microphones, 2)other mechanical components, 3) resonant structures, and/or 4) thedevice user, which can be perceived unfavorably by the device user. Inaddition, personal consumer electronics devices typically have smallform factors to improve the comfort and aesthetics for the device user.As such, there is limited space within a consumer electronics device,which further exacerbates the co-existence issues between components andlimits the ability to introduce additional components to isolatevibrations produced by various components.

SUMMARY

Embodiments relate to a suspension component of a transducer system. Thesuspension component provides multiple mechanically-compliantsuspensions for a transducer. The suspension component includes aplurality of flexures, and the plurality of flexures includes a firstset of flexures, a second set of flexures, and a third set of flexures.The first set of flexures configured to suspend a first sub-assembly ofa transducer from support brackets. The second set of flexuresconfigured to suspend a second sub-assembly of the transducer from thefirst sub-assembly. And the third set of flexures configured to suspendthe second sub-assembly from the support brackets. In some embodiments,the suspension component is formed from a single piece of planarmaterial that may either remain planar in the final application orfolded. Additionally, in some embodiments, non-flexure features canserve as a mechanical chassis for the first sub-assembly (e.g., includescoil assembly) and the second sub-assembly (e.g., includes one or moremagnets) of the transducer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example illustrating an eyewear device, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a transducer system, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 2B is a blow-up view of the transducer system of FIG. 2A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a transducer system, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 3A in aminimum position at a particular resonance, in accordance with one ormore embodiments.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 3A in amaximum position at a particular resonance, in accordance with one ormore embodiments.

FIG. 3D is a cross section of the transducer system of FIG. 3A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transducer system, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a transducer system, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 5A in alower boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 5A in anupper boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 5D is a cross section of the transducer system of FIG. 5A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a transducer system, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 6A in alower boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 6C is a perspective view of the transducer system of FIG. 6A in anupper boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 6D is a cross section of the transducer system of FIG. 6A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7A illustrates a theoretical one-DOF vibration system without anyvibration isolation features, in accordance with one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 7B illustrates an acceleration versus frequency graph for theone-DOF vibration system of FIG. 7A, in accordance with one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 7C illustrates a second theoretical vibration isolation system, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7D illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph for the vibrationisolation system of FIG. 7C, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7E illustrates a third theoretical vibration isolation system, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7F illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph for the vibrationisolation system of FIG. 7E, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7G illustrates a fourth theoretical vibration isolation system, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7H illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph for the vibrationisolation system of FIG. 7G, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7I illustrates a fifth theoretical vibration isolation system, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7J illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph for the vibrationisolation system of FIG. 7I, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a first example of a suspension component, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a second example of a suspension component, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a first example of a suspensioncomponent, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 10B is a top view of the first example of the suspension componentof FIG. 10A, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a second example of a suspensioncomponent, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 11B is a top view of the second example of the suspension componentof FIG. 11B, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a system environment of an eyewear device, in accordance withone or more embodiments.

The figures depict embodiments of the present disclosure for purposes ofillustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize fromthe following description that alternative embodiments of the structuresand methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing fromthe principles, or benefits touted, of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The mechanical behavior of a traditional loudspeaker transducer can bereasonably-well represented by a single lumped mass (singledegree-of-freedom) and a single lumped compliance. Adding additionaldegrees of freedom (mobile masses) will not only add lumped-elementresonances but, when designed correctly, can serve as a vibrationisolation system between a transducer and a non-fixed mechanicalstructure (for example, the frames on a pair of glasses) it is mountedto. The vibration isolation system lessens the degree to whichvibrations produced by the transducer are transferred to the structureit is mounted on. Transducers are electrical components that convert oneform of energy into another form. For example, transducers (e.g., avoice-coil motor) may convert an electrical signal into a mechanicalmovement, or vice versa. The transducer system may be attached to adevice, e.g., an eyewear device, a headset, or other similar devices. Tominimize the effect of the vibrations of the transducer on othercomponents of the device (i.e., co-existence issues), the vibrationisolation system uses an integrated configuration of masses and springs(also referred to as flexures) to internally absorb the backwardvibrations of the transducer. In other words, a resonance of differentcomponents of the transducer system offset each other such that thevibrations of the transducer are not undesirably transmitted to othercomponents (i.e., a device to which the transducer system is coupled).In some embodiments, the vibration isolation system is a system havingtwo degrees of freedom (DOF) that is composed of a configuration ofmasses and springs. When a transducer is mounted to the device and thedevice is considered to represent a mass load, the system is a threedegree-of-freedom system. The vibration isolation system includes threesprings that each attach to different components of the transducersystem. The springs are intended to enable each mass to have a singledominant degree-of-freedom. In practice, these masses may exhibit otherunintended degrees-of-freedom, e.g. rocking modes. The springs may beoriented in a parallel manner such that each axis corresponds to a samedimension. In this configuration, a resonance of the components alongeach axis offsets each other, thereby isolating vibrations produced bythe transducer. Integrating the isolation system into the transducer (asopposed to using separate components) leverages the existing motor massof the transducer (important for lightweight systems where adding moremass is discouraged), allows the specific tuning of the isolation systemto be done at the component level, allows the performance of theisolation system to be verified at the component level, and enables thesystem to have a compact form factor.

In some embodiments, the transducer includes a first sub-assemblyincluding a coil assembly and a second sub-assembly including one ormore magnets. The magnets may include hard and/or soft magnets. Asdescribed in detail below, current supplied to the coil assembly causesit to move relative to the second assembly.

The vibration isolation system is configured to isolate vibrationsproduced by the transducer from a device the transducer system iscoupled to. The vibration isolation system includes a plurality ofsupport brackets and a suspension component that includes a plurality offlexures. A flexure includes one or more flexure segments. A flexuresegment is a flexing element of a flexure of a suspension component. Theplurality of flexures includes a first set of flexures configured tosuspend the first sub-assembly from the support brackets; a second setof flexures configured to suspend the second sub-assembly from the firstsub-assembly; and a third set of flexures configured to suspend thesecond sub-assembly from the support brackets.

The support brackets are intended to be rigidly tied to the mass of thedevice. Each flexure has a pre-determined spring constant such thatresonances of plurality of flexures offset vibrations produced by thetransducer such that the transducer is isolated from the device.

The suspension component may be formed from a single piece of planarmaterial, e.g., sheet metal that is formed to create the first springand the second spring, shape-memory alloy, plastic, etc. The sheet metalmay be formed via bending, roll forming, deep drawing, stretch forming,shape-setting, or other suitable manufacturing processes. The sheetmetal may be pre-processed or post-processed to create various segmentsof the first spring and the second spring. In addition to mechanicalsuspensions, within the single piece of planar material there may beincorporated other features which could be formed to serve as amechanical chassis for the transducer or a former for locating elementsof the first sub-assembly (e.g., voice coil) adjacent to the secondsub-assembly (e.g. the magnetic structure). The suspension componentcomprises a first spring assembly and a second spring assembly definedby a first axis that bisects the body. In some embodiments, thesuspension component is substantially symmetrical about the first axis.The first spring assembly and the second spring assembly each comprise aplurality of flexures. Each flexure has a respective effective springconstant. The number, geometry, and arrangement of flexure segments ofeach spring may vary in various embodiments.

In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of flexures of thesuspension component are composed of a conductive material and areconfigured to provide electrical signals to the transducer. Theelectrical signals may be control signals and/or power for thetransducer or for other sensors or electrical components (e.g.amplifiers) embedded in the transducer design.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may include or be implemented inconjunction with an artificial reality system. Artificial reality is aform of reality that has been adjusted in some manner beforepresentation to a user, which may include, e.g., a virtual reality (VR),an augmented reality (AR), a mixed reality (MR), a hybrid reality, orsome combination and/or derivatives thereof. Artificial reality contentmay include completely generated content or generated content combinedwith captured (e.g., real-world) content. The artificial reality contentmay include video, audio, haptic feedback, or some combination thereof,and any of which may be presented in a single channel or in multiplechannels (such as stereo video that produces a three-dimensional effectto the viewer). Additionally, in some embodiments, artificial realitymay also be associated with applications, products, accessories,services, or some combination thereof, that are used to, e.g., createcontent in an artificial reality and/or are otherwise used in (e.g.,perform activities in) an artificial reality. The artificial realitysystem that provides the artificial reality content may be implementedon various platforms, including a head-mounted display (HMD) connectedto a host computer system, a standalone HMD, a mobile device orcomputing system, or any other hardware platform capable of providingartificial reality content to one or more viewers.

Eyewear Device Configuration

FIG. 1 is an example illustrating an eyewear device 100, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. The eyewear device 100 presents media to auser. Examples of media presented by the eyewear device 100 include oneor more images, video, audio, or some combination thereof. In oneembodiment, the eyewear device 100 may be a near-eye display (NED). Inembodiments (not shown) the eyewear device 100 may be a head-mounteddisplay. The eyewear device 100 may include, among other components, aframe 105, a lens 110, a sensor device 115, an audio system, and atransducer system 120. The audio system may include, among othercomponents, one or more acoustic sensors 125 and a controller 130. Thetransducer system may include, among other components, a transducer anda vibration isolation system, discussed in further detail with regard toFIGS. 2A-6D. While FIG. 1 illustrates the components of the eyeweardevice 100 in example locations on the eyewear device 100, thecomponents may be located elsewhere on the eyewear device 100, on aperipheral device paired with the eyewear device 100, or somecombination thereof.

The eyewear device 100 may correct or enhance the vision of a user,protect the eye of a user, or provide images to a user. The eyeweardevice 100 may be eyeglasses which correct for defects in a user'seyesight. The eyewear device 100 may be sunglasses which protect auser's eye from the sun. The eyewear device 100 may be safety glasseswhich protect a user's eye from impact. The eyewear device 100 may be anight vision device or infrared goggles to enhance a user's vision atnight. The eyewear device 100 may be a near-eye display that producesVR, AR, or MR content for the user. Alternatively, the eyewear device100 may not include a lens 110 and may be a frame 105 with an audiosystem that provides audio (e.g., telephony, alerts, media, music,radio, podcasts) to a user.

The frame 105 includes a front part that holds the lens 110 and endpieces to attach to the user. The front part of the frame 105 bridgesthe top of a nose of the user. The end pieces (e.g., temples) areportions of the frame 105 that hold the eyewear device 100 in place on auser (e.g., each end piece extends over a corresponding ear of theuser). The length of the end piece may be adjustable to fit differentusers. The end piece may also include a portion that curls behind theear of the user (e.g., temple tip, ear piece).

The lens 110 provides or transmits light to a user wearing the eyeweardevice 100. The lens 110 may be prescription lens (e.g., single vision,bifocal and trifocal, or progressive) to help correct for defects in auser's eyesight. The prescription lens transmits ambient light to theuser wearing the eyewear device 100. The transmitted ambient light maybe altered by the prescription lens to correct for defects in the user'seyesight. The lens 110 may be a polarized lens or a tinted lens toprotect the user's eyes from the sun. The lens 110 may be one or morewaveguides as part of a waveguide display in which image light iscoupled through an end or edge of the waveguide to the eye of the user.The lens 110 may include an electronic display for providing image lightand may also include an optics block for magnifying image light from theelectronic display. Additional detail regarding the lens 110 isdiscussed with regards to FIG. 9. The lens 110 is held by a front partof the frame 105 of the eyewear device 100.

The sensor device 115 generates one or more measurement signals inresponse to motion of the eyewear device 100. The sensor device 115 maybe located on a portion of the frame 105 of the eyewear device 100. Thesensor device 115 may include a position sensor, an inertial measurementunit (IMU), or both. Some embodiments of the eyewear device 100 may ormay not include the sensor device 115 or may include more than onesensor device 115. In embodiments in which the sensor device 115includes an IMU, the IMU generates fast calibration data based onmeasurement signals from the sensor device 115. Examples of sensordevices 115 include: one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes,one or more magnetometers, another suitable type of sensor that detectsmotion, a type of sensor used for error correction of the IMU, or somecombination thereof. The sensor device 115 may be located external tothe IMU, internal to the IMU, or some combination thereof. The sensordevice 115 may include multiple accelerometers to measure translationalmotion (forward/back, up/down, left/right) and multiple gyroscopes tomeasure rotational motion (e.g., pitch, yaw, roll).

The audio system detects and processes sounds within an environmentsurrounding the eyewear device 100. Some embodiments of the eyeweardevice 100 may or may not include the audio system. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the audio system includes the plurality of acoustic sensors 125and the controller 130. Each acoustic sensor is configured to detectsounds within a local area surrounding the microphone array. In someembodiments, some of the plurality of acoustic sensors 125 are coupledto a neckband coupled to the eyewear device 100. The controller 130 isconfigured to process the data collected by the acoustic sensors 125.The controller 130 may transmit data and commands to and from anartificial reality system. In some embodiments, the acoustic sensors 125may provide audio feedback to a user in response to commands receivedfrom the artificial reality system.

The transducer system 120 is coupled to the frame 105. In the embodimentof FIG. 1, the transducer system 120 includes a transducer with anintegrated vibration isolation system. The transducer is a componentthat converts a signal from one energy form to another energy form.Examples of transducers includes microphones, position sensors, pressuresensors, actuators, haptic engines, vibration alerts, speakers, tissueconduction, among others. The vibration isolation system isolates thevibrations produced by the transducer from a device to which thevibration isolation system is attached and/or coupled. In the embodimentof FIG. 1, the vibration isolation system isolates vibrations from theframe 105. Isolating vibrations produced by the transducer reduces thetransmission of the vibrations to a user wearing the eyewear device 100,to other components of the eyewear device 100, or some combinationthereof. The transducer system 120 is discussed in further detail withregards to FIGS. 2-3.

In some embodiments, the transducer system 120 is used to provide audiocontent to the user. Audio content may be, e.g., airborne audio contentand/or tissue born audio content. For example, airborne audio content(i.e., sounds) may be generated by the transducer system being coupledto a diaphragm that vibrates with a transducer in the transducer system.The moving diaphragm generating the airborne audio content. In contrast,tissue born audio content provides audio content using tissueconduction. Tissue conduction includes one or both of bone conductionand cartilage conduction, that vibrates bone and/or cartilage togenerate acoustic pressure waves in a tissue of a user.

A bone conduction audio system uses bone conduction for providing audiocontent to the ear of a user while keeping the ear canal of the userunobstructed. The bone conduction audio system includes a transducerassembly that generates tissue born acoustic pressure wavescorresponding to the audio content by vibrating tissue in a user's headthat includes bone. Tissue may include e.g., bone, cartilage, muscle,skin, etc. For bone conduction, the primary pathway for the generatedacoustic pressure waves is through the bone of the head (bypassing theeardrum) directly to the cochlea. The cochlea turns tissue borneacoustic pressure waves into signals which the brain perceives as sound.

A cartilage conduction audio system uses cartilage conduction forproviding audio content to an ear of a user. The cartilage conductionaudio system includes a transducer assembly that is coupled to one ormore portions of the auricular cartilage around the outer ear (e.g., thepinna, the tragus, some other portion of the auricular cartilage, orsome combination thereof). The transducer assembly generates airborneacoustic pressure waves corresponding to the audio content by vibratingthe one or more portions of the auricular cartilage. This airborneacoustic pressure wave may propagate toward an entrance of the ear canalwhere it would be detected by the ear drum. However, the cartilageconduction audio system is a multipath system that generates acousticpressure waves in different ways. For example, vibrating the one or moreportions of auricular cartilage may generate: airborne acoustic pressurewaves outside the ear canal; tissue born acoustic pressure waves thatcause some portions of the ear canal to vibrate thereby generating anairborne acoustic pressure wave within the ear canal; or somecombination thereof. Additional details regarding bone conduction and/orcartilage conduction may be found at, e.g., U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/967,924, filed on May 1, 2018, which in incorporated by referencein its entirety.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a transducer system 200, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, thetransducer system 200 includes a transducer 215 integrated with avibration isolation system. The transducer system 200 is an embodimentof the transducer system 120. As described with regard to FIG. 1, thevibration isolation system 205 isolates the vibrations produced by thetransducer from a device to which the vibration isolation system 205 isattached. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the transducer substantiallyoscillates along an axis 209. The vibration isolation system 205 may beattached to a device (e.g., eyewear device 100) via one or more securingmechanisms, adhesives, mating interfaces, or some combination thereof.In some embodiments, the vibration isolation system 205 may be nestedwithin a reciprocal cavity on the device. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A,the vibration isolation system 205 includes two support brackets 210 a,210 b (210 b not shown in FIG. 2), a suspension portion 225 a, asuspension portion 225 b, a coupling member 227 a, and a coupling member227 b (shown in FIG. 2B). The suspension portion 225 a, 225 b furtherincludes a series of flexures that couple to the transducer within thevibration isolation system 205. Note that in the illustrated embodimentthe transducer system 200 is substantially symmetric with respect to anaxis that bisects the support brackets 210 a, 210 b and is orthogonal tothe axis 209.

The support brackets 210 a, 210 b (collectively referred to herein as“210”) couple the vibration isolation system 205 to the device. Thesupport brackets 210 are each positioned at or near an end of thevibration isolation system 205. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the supportbrackets are columns that are substantially centered on respective shortsides of the transducer 215. In one embodiment, the support brackets 210may be hollow and designed to receive a screw that secures a base ofeach support bracket 210 a, 210 b to the device. In one embodiment, someportion of one or both support brackets 210 includes an adhesivesurface. In alternate embodiments, the shape and dimensions of eachsupport bracket 210 a, 201 b may vary. For example, each support bracket210 a, 210 b may be planar, polygonal, or other suitable shapes. Thesupport bracket 210 a couples to the suspension portion 225 a, and thesupport bracket 210 b couples to the suspension portion 225 b.

The suspension portions 225 a, 225 b (collectively referred to herein as“225”) suspend the transducer 215 across the support brackets 210. Thesuspension portions 225 include a plurality of flexure segments eachattached to different components of the transducer system 200. Forexample, the suspension portion 225 a includes an outer flexure segment226 a, an outer flexure segment 226 b, and an inner flexure segment 227a. And likewise, the suspension portion 225 b includes an outer flexuresegment 226 c, an outer flexure segment 226 d, and an inner flexuresegment 227 b. The outer flexure segments 226 a, 226 b, 226 c, 226 d(collectively referred to herein as “226”) couple a second subassembly(includes one or more magnets) of the transducer 215 to the suspensionportions 225. And the inner flexure segments 227 a, 227 b (collectivereferred to herein as “227”) couple a first sub-assembly (includes acoil assembly) of the transducer 215 to the suspension portions 225. Theflexure segments are configured to dampen vibrations in the transducersystem 200 caused by motion of the transducer 215 along the axis 209.Some or all of the suspension portions 225 may be formed from, e.g.,aluminum, brass, copper, steel, nickel, titanium, a shape memory alloy(e.g., nitinol), alloys, other suitable types of materials, or somecombination thereof. In some embodiments where a shape memory alloy isused to form some or all of the suspension portions 225, the shapememory alloy would be such that its superelastic properties would beused. Superelasticity can help mitigate breakage and/or strain caused bylong term cycling components (e.g., flexures) of the vibration isolationsystem 205 or from deformations outside normal operation limits due tothe mechanical output faces being exposed to direct user contact.

Additionally, on each long side of the transducer system 200, thesuspension portion 225 a is coupled to the suspension portion 225 b viacoupling members. For example, on the side shown in FIG. 2A, thecoupling member 227 a couples the suspension portion 225 a to thesuspension portion 227 b and would serve as a mounting location for thetransducer 215.

In the illustrated embodiment, the transducer 215 includes a voicecoil-motor. However, in other embodiments, the transducer 215 may besome other form of actuator configured to produce motion parallel to theaxis 209. The transducer 215 is described in detail below with regard toFIG. 2B. Note that some portion of the transducer system 300 may be usedto drive a membrane of a speaker and/or provide audio content via tissueconduction (e.g., bone conduction and/or cartilage conduction). Forexample, a portion of the coil assembly that is projecting above thesuspension portions 225 a, 225 b and/or the suspension portions 225 a,225 b may be used to provide vibration to a membrane for air conduction,or a material that couples vibrations to the user (e.g., for tissueconduction).

FIG. 2B is a blow-up view 250 of the transducer system 200 of FIG. 2A,in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the view 250, thetransducer 215 is separated out into its main components, specifically,magnets 265 a, 265 b, 265 c, 265 d, a rigid structure 270, and plates285 a, 285 b. And that the transducer 215 may be divided broadly into afirst sub-assembly and a second sub-assembly. The first sub-assemblyincludes the rigid structure 270 and the second sub-assembly includesthe magnets 265 a, 265 b, 265 c, 265 d and the plates 285 a, 285 b.

In the illustrated embodiments, the transducer 215 includes four magnets265 a, 265 b, 265 c, 265 d (collectively referred to as magnets 265),where two sets of magnets are arranged opposing each other, each set ofmagnets having an aligned polarity. For instance, magnets 265 a and 265b may each be arranged with the south pole over the north pole (S/N). Assuch, the north pole of magnet 265 a and the south pole of magnet 265 bwould be facing each other in an aligned polarity. In such anembodiment, magnets 265 c and 265 d may be arranged in the oppositefashion, with magnets 265 c and 265 d having the north pole over thesouth pole (N/S). As such, the south pole of magnet 265 c and the northpole of magnet 265 d would be facing each other. Any or all of thesemagnets may be permanent magnets. Still further, it will be recognizedthat although four magnets are illustrated in FIG. 2B, in otherembodiments, some other number of magnets may be used. For example, twoopposing magnets may be used, or six or more opposing magnets may beused in the embodiments herein.

The rigid structure 270 is arranged between the magnets. The rigidstructure 270 may include one or more traces in a coil assembly 280.Note that the rigid structure 270 is coupled to the suspension portions225 a, 225 b, but is not coupled to the magnets 265, and translatesvertically (e.g., along axis 209), such that the rigid structure 270 isconfigured to act as a moveable coil. For example, the rigid structure270 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or other structure that issufficiently rigid to receive forces applied thereto (e.g., Lorentzforces) and vibrate according to frequencies designated in an inputsignal. In some embodiments, the rigid structure 270 may have tracesembedded in its structure. Or, the traces may be applied on top of therigid structure using flexible printed circuitry (FPC) or other similarmanner.

In some embodiments, the rigid structure 270 may have the coil assembly280 deposited thereon. The coil assembly 280 may include one or moreelectrically conductive traces. These conductive traces may begin at acertain point and wrap around to a finishing point. As current passesthrough the traces according to the input signal, a Lorentz force may begenerated. The Lorentz force may cause the rigid structure 270 to moveon a plane that includes the axis 209.

The transducer 215 includes plates 285 a, 285 b (collectively referredto as plates 285) to which the magnets 265 are connected. In someembodiments, the plates 285 are soft magnets (relative to the magnets265 which are hard magnets, i.e., has a much higher coercivity). Theplates 285 may be made of steel or other structurally solid materialwith sufficient magnetic permeability and a sufficiently high magneticinduction saturation value. The plates 285 may include fasteners for themagnets which hold the magnets in place relative to each other. After anelectrical input signal is applied to the coil assembly 280 sandwichedbetween the magnets 265, the rigid structure 270 may begin to move. Theplates 285 hold the magnets 265 in place, so that substantially all ofthe Lorentz force generated may be transferred solely to the rigidstructure 270. In this manner, the electrical input signal may causemotive force to be applied the rigid structure 270 in the frequenciesspecified in the input signal. As such, the rigid structure 270 may moverelative to the magnets 265 as driven by the input signal.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a transducer system 300, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, thetransducer system 300 includes a transducer 305 integrated within avibration isolation system 310. The transducer system 300 is anembodiment of the transducer system 120. As described with regard toFIG. 1, the vibration isolation system 310 isolates the vibrationsproduced by the transducer from a device to which the vibrationisolation system 310 is attached.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the transducer 305 substantiallyoscillates along an axis 315. The transducer 305 includes a sub-assembly340 that includes one or more magnets and a sub-assembly 345 thatincludes a coil assembly.

The vibration isolation system 310 may be attached to a device (e.g.,eyewear device 100) via one or more securing mechanisms, adhesives,mating interfaces, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, thevibration isolation system 310 may be nested within a reciprocal cavityon the device. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the vibration isolationsystem 310 includes two support brackets 320 a, 320 b, a first bracketflexure 325 a, a first bracket flexure 325 b, a second bracket flexure330 a, a second bracket flexure 330 b, a middle flexure 335 a, and amiddle flexure 335 b. Note that in the illustrated embodiment thetransducer system 300 is substantially symmetric with respect to an axisthat bisects the support brackets 320 a, 320 b and is orthogonal to theaxis 315.

The support brackets 320 a, 320 b (collectively referred to herein as“320”) couple the vibration isolation system 310 to the device. Thesupport brackets 320 are each positioned at or near an end of thevibration isolation system 310. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the supportbrackets 320 are substantially centered on respective short sides of thetransducer 305. In one embodiment, the support brackets 320 may bedesigned to receive a screw that secures a base of each support bracket320 a, 320 b to the device. In one embodiment, some portion of one orboth support brackets 320 includes an adhesive surface. In alternateembodiments, the shape and dimensions of each support bracket 320 a, 320b may vary.

The support bracket 320 a couples to the transducer 305 via the firstbracket flexure 325 a and the second bracket flexure 330 a, and thesupport bracket 320 b couples to the transducer 305 via the firstbracket flexure 325 b and the second bracket flexure 330 b.

The first bracket flexures 325 a, 325 b (collectively referred to hereinas “325”) suspend a sub-assembly 340 of the transducer 305 from thesupport brackets 320 using a plurality of flexure segments. Asillustrated, each of the first bracket flexures 325 includes two flexuresegments. A flexure segment is a flexing element of a flexure of asuspension component. As illustrated only one flexure segment is visiblefor each of the first bracket flexures 325. In other embodiments, one orboth of the first bracket flexures 325 may have some other number offlexure segments.

The second bracket flexure 330 a, 330 b (collectively referred to hereinas “330”) suspend a sub-assembly 345 of the transducer 305 from thesupport brackets 320. Each of the second bracket flexures 330 includestwo flexure segments. For example, the second bracket flexure 330 aincludes two flexure segments that couple respective corners the supportbracket 320 a to corresponding corner of the sub-assembly 345 of thetransducer 305. In other embodiments, one or both of the second bracketflexures 330 may have some other number of flexure segments.

The middle flexures 335 a, 335 b (collectively referred to herein as“335”) couple the sub-assembly 345 of the transducer 305 to thesub-assembly 340 of the transducer 305. Each of the middle flexures 335includes two flexure segments. For example, the middle flexure 335 aincludes two flexure segments that couple portions of the sub-assembly345 of the transducer 305 to the sub-assembly 340 of the transducer 305.In other embodiments, one or both of the middle flexures 335 may havesome other number of flexure segments.

Together the first bracket flexures 325, the second bracket flexures330, and the middle flexures 335 dampen vibrations in the transducersystem 300 caused by motion of the transducer 305 along the axis 315.The first bracket flexures 325, the second bracket flexures 330, and themiddle flexures 335 may be formed from, e.g., aluminum, brass, copper,steel, nickel, titanium, a shape memory alloy (e.g., nitinol), alloys,plastics, other suitable types of materials, or some combinationthereof. In some embodiments where a shape memory alloy is used to formsome or all of the vibration isolation system 310, the shape memoryalloy would be such that its superelastic properties would be used.Superelasticity can help mitigate breakage and/or strain caused by longterm cycling components (e.g., flexures) of the vibration isolationsystem 310.

The first bracket flexures 325, the second bracket flexures 330, and themiddle flexures 335 each have a specific spring constant that may be thesame or different from each other. A spring constant represents howstiff a flexure is. The spring constant is measured by an amount ofdisplacement due to a force acting on the flexure. Example units mayinclude Newtons-per-meter (N/m). In one embodiment, one or more of theflexures may be composed of conductive material (e.g., cartridge brass)such that the one or more flexures can provide current to/from thetransducer 325. In this configuration, the lead wires are housed withinthe transducer system in a stable and protected manner and are thus lesslikely to break relative to conventional lead wires, thereby increasingthe robustness of the transducer system.

In the illustrated embodiment, the transducer 305 is a voice coil motor.However, in other embodiments, the transducer 305 may be some other formof actuator configured to produce motion parallel to the axis 315. Thetransducer includes the sub-assembly 345 and the sub-assembly 340. Thetransducer 305 is described in detail with regard to FIG. 3D.

The transducer system 300 in FIG. 3A is shown in a neutral position. Aneutral position describes the positions of sub-assembly 345 and thesub-assembly 340 of the transducer 305 at rest and not under load (e.g.,no actuation by the transducer 305). As the transducer 305 actuates, thesub-assembly 345 may move and/or the sub-assembly 340 may move along theaxis 315 based in part on the actuation and the suspension forcesimparted by one or more of the first bracket flexures 325, the secondbracket flexures 330, and the middle flexures 335. In some embodiments,at some frequencies, the sub-assembly 345 and the sub-assembly 340 maymove in the same direction at the same time along the axis 315. In someembodiments, at other frequencies, the sub-assembly 345 and thesub-assembly 340 may move in opposite directions at the same time alongthe axis 315. The neutral position of the transducer system 300 is oneof many possible positions within a range of positions. The range ofpositions is bounded by a minimum position and a maximum position. Theminimum position is a position describing a position where thesub-assembly 345 and the sub-assembly 340 are closer together than inthe neutral position. The maximum position describes a position wherethe sub-assembly 345 and the sub-assembly 340 are farther apart than inthe neutral position.

Each of the first bracket flexures 325, the second bracket flexures 330,and the middle flexures 335 compresses and/or extends due to the weightand/or vibrations of the transducer 305. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A,each flexure flexes in a direction along an axis 315 or parallel to theaxis 315 as the transducer 305 oscillates along the axis 315. The springconstant of each flexure is pre-determined with the values of the threemasses to align two of the resonances. Accordingly, resonances of thefirst bracket flexures 325, the second bracket flexures 330, and themiddle flexures 335 offset each other such that vibrations produced bythe transducer 305 are isolated within the transducer system 300.Combining the flexures and the transducer in this configuration enablesthe transducer system 300 to have a small form factor, such that it canbe more easily introduced into consumer electronic devices thanconventional suspension systems that are typically separate componentsfrom transducers.

Note that some portion of the transducer system 300 may be used to drivea membrane of a speaker and/or provide audio content via tissueconduction (e.g., bone conduction and/or cartilage conduction). Forexample, a portion of the sub-assembly 345 may be used to providevibration to a membrane for air conduction, or a material that couplesvibrations to the user (e.g., for tissue conduction).

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the transducer system 300 of FIG. 3A ina minimum position of one resonance, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the sub-assembly 345 andmoved closer to the sub-assembly 340 along the axis 315, and thesub-assembly 340 has also moved closer to the sub-assembly 345 along theaxis 315.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the transducer system 300 of FIG. 3A ina maximum position of one resonance, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the sub-assembly 345 andmoved away from the sub-assembly 340 along the axis 315, and thesub-assembly 340 has also moved away from the sub-assembly 345 along theaxis 315.

FIG. 3D is a cross section of the transducer system 300 of FIG. 3A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments. The sub-assembly 345 includes acoil assembly 350 and a plate 355. And the sub-assembly 340 includes amagnet assembly 360, top plate 362, and a base plate 365.

The magnet assembly 360 provides a magnetic field. The magnet assembly360 includes one or more magnets that are arranged to generate aforce-pair along the axis 315 responsive to a current being applied tothe coil assembly 350. The magnet assembly 360 is coupled to the baseplate 365. The magnet assembly 360 contributes to the efficiency of thesystem; in general, the larger the magnet, the greater the efficiency.

The coil assembly 350 is a coil of electrically conductive materialarranged such that it may (depending on position of the transducer 305)circumscribe the magnet assembly 360. After an electrical input signalis applied to the coil assembly 350 the sub-assembly 345 and/or thesub-assembly 340 may begin to move along the axis 315. The mass of boththe magnet assembly 360 and the coil assembly 350 may be tuned inaddition to spring rates of the suspensions (i.e., the first bracketflexures 325, the second bracket flexures 330, middle flexures 335), butchanging these components have implications for the electromagneticefficiency of the transducer 305.

The plate 335, the top plate 362, the base plate 365, or somecombination thereof, may be made of steel or other structurally solidmaterial with sufficient magnetic permeability and a sufficiently highmagnetic induction saturation value. The top plate 362 focuses magneticflux density in the gap (e.g., through the coil assembly 350). The baseplate 365 may include fasteners for one or more magnets of the magnetassembly 360 which hold the one or more magnets in place relative toeach other.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transducer system 400, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, thetransducer system 400 includes a transducer 405 integrated within avibration isolation system 410. The transducer 405 is substantiallysimilar to the transducer 305. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, thetransducer 405 substantially oscillates along an axis 415. Thetransducer 405 includes a sub-assembly 440 that includes one or moremagnets and a sub-assembly 445 that includes a coil assembly.

The vibration isolation system 410 may be attached to a device (e.g.,eyewear device 100) via one or more securing mechanisms, adhesives,mating interfaces, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, thevibration isolation system 410 may be nested within a reciprocal cavityon the device. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the vibration isolationsystem 410 includes two support brackets 420 a, 420 b, a first bracketflexure 425 a, a first bracket flexure 425 b, an outer bracket flexure430 a, an outer bracket flexure 430 b, a middle flexure 435 a, and amiddle flexure 435 b. Note that in the illustrated embodiment thetransducer system 400 is substantially symmetric with respect to an axisthat bisects the support brackets 420 a, 420 b and is orthogonal to theaxis 415.

The support brackets 420 a, 420 b (collectively referred to herein as“420”) couple the vibration isolation system 410 to the device. Thesupport brackets 420 are each positioned at or near an end of thevibration isolation system 410. The support brackets 420 functionally,are substantially the same as the support brackets 320. The supportbracket 420 a couples to the transducer 405 via the first bracketflexure 425 a and outer bracket flexure 430 a, and the support bracket420 b couples to the transducer 405 via the first bracket flexure 425 aand the outer bracket flexure 430 b.

The first bracket flexures 425 a, 425 b (collectively referred to hereinas “425”) suspend a lower portion 440 of the transducer 405 from thesupport brackets 420. The first bracket flexures 425 are functionallythe same as the bracket flexures 325.

The outer bracket flexure 430 a and the middle flexure 435 a are formedfrom a single suspension component. Likewise, the outer bracket flexure430 b and the middle flexure 435 b are formed from a single suspensioncomponent. A single suspension component may be integrally formed of asame piece of material (rather than be individual segments).

The outer bracket flexures 430 a, 430 b (collectively referred to hereinas “430”) suspend a sub-assembly 445 of the transducer 405 from thesupport brackets 420. Each of the outer bracket flexures 430 includestwo flexure segments. For example, the outer bracket flexure 430 aincludes two flexure segments that couple respective corners the supportbracket 420 a to corresponding corners of the sub-assembly 445 of thetransducer 405. In other embodiments, one or both of the outer bracketflexures 430 may have some other number of flexure segments.

The middle flexures 435 a, 435 b (collectively referred to herein as“435”) couple the sub-assembly 445 of the transducer 405 to the lowerportion 440 of the transducer 405. Each of the middle flexures 435includes a single flexure segment. For example, the middle flexure 435 aincludes a single flexure segment that couple portions of thesub-assembly 445 of the transducer 405 to the lower portion 440 of thetransducer 405. In other embodiments, one or both of the middle flexures435 may have some other number of flexure segments.

The first bracket flexures 425, the outer bracket flexures 430, and themiddle flexures 435 each have a specific spring constant that may be thesame or different from each other. Together the first bracket flexures425, the outer bracket flexures 430, and the middle flexures 435 dampenvibrations in the transducer system 400 caused by motion of thetransducer 405 along the axis 415. The first bracket flexures 425, theouter bracket flexures 430, and the middle flexures 435 may be formedfrom, e.g., aluminum, brass, copper, steel, nickel, titanium, a shapememory alloy (e.g., nitinol), alloys, other suitable types of materials,or some combination thereof. In one embodiment, one or more flexures(e.g., the first bracket flexures 425, the outer bracket flexures 430,and the middle flexures 435) may be composed of conductive material(e.g., cartridge brass) such that the one or more flexures can providecurrent to/from the transducer 425. In some embodiments, some portionsof the one or more flexures and/or other flexures are also electricallyinsulated. In some embodiments where a shape memory alloy is used toform some or all of the vibration isolation system 410, the shape memoryalloy would be such that its superelastic properties would be used.Superelasticity can help mitigate breakage and/or strain caused by longterm cycling components (e.g., flexures) of the vibration isolationsystem 410.

Each of the first bracket flexures 425, the outer bracket flexures 430,and the middle flexures 435 compresses and/or extends due to the weightand/or vibrations of the transducer 405. In the embodiment of FIG. 4,each of the first bracket flexures 425, the outer bracket flexures 430,and the middle flexures 435 flexes in a direction along an axis 415 orparallel to the axis 415 as the transducer 405 oscillates along the axis415. The spring constant of each of the first bracket flexures 425, theouter bracket flexures 430, and the middle flexures 435 ispre-determined with the values of the three masses to align two of theresonances. Accordingly, resonances of the first bracket flexures 425,the outer bracket flexures 430, and the middle flexures 435 offset eachother such that vibrations produced by the transducer 405 are isolatedwithin the transducer system 400.

Note that some portion of the transducer system 400 may be used to drivea membrane of a speaker and/or provide audio content via tissueconduction (e.g., bone conduction and/or cartilage conduction). Forexample, a portion of the sub-assembly 445 may be used to providevibration to a membrane for air conduction, or a material that couplesvibrations to the user (e.g., for tissue conduction).

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a transducer system 500, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. In the embodiment of FIG. 5A, thetransducer system 500 includes the transducer 215 integrated within avibration isolation system 510. In the embodiment of FIG. 5A, thetransducer 215 substantially oscillates along an axis 515. The vibrationisolation system 510 may be attached to a device (e.g., eyewear device100) via one or more securing mechanisms, adhesives, mating interfaces,or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the transducer system500 may be nested within a reciprocal cavity on the device. In theembodiment of FIG. 5A, the vibration isolation system 510 includes twosupport brackets 520 a, 520 b, a base flexure 525, an outer flexure 530a, an outer flexure 530 b, a middle flexure 535 a, and a middle flexure535 b. Note that in the illustrated embodiment the transducer system 500is substantially symmetric with respect to an axis that bisects thesupport brackets 520 a, 520 b and is orthogonal to the axis 515.

The support brackets 520 a, 520 b (collectively referred to herein as“520”) couple the vibration isolation system 510 to the device. Thesupport brackets 520 are each positioned at or near an end of thevibration isolation system 510. The support brackets 520 functionally,are substantially similar to the support brackets 320. The supportbrackets 520 are coupled via a base member 522 a and a base member 522 b(collectively referred to as 522). Note that the base member 522 b isnot shown in FIG. 5A, but is shown in FIG. 5D. And each base member 522a, 522 b couples to corresponding corners of the support bracket 520 aand the support bracket 520 b. The support bracket 520 a is coupled toand suspends the transducer 215 via the base flexure 525 and the middleflexure 535 a, and the support bracket 520 b is coupled to and suspendsthe transducer 215 via the base flexure 525 and the middle flexure 535b.

Note as illustrated the middle flexures 535 a, 535 b (collectively 535)and the outer flexures 530 a, 530 b (collectively 530) are part of asingle suspension component 537. The suspension component 537 is formedfrom a single monolithic piece of material that has been cut and shapedto form a single suspension component that includes the middle flexures535, the outer flexures 530 and upper folds (e.g., an upper fold 560 a).Additionally, note that the single piece of material also is used toform the base members 522. The material may be, e.g., aluminum, brass,copper, steel, nickel, titanium, a shape memory alloy (e.g., nitinol),alloys, other suitable types of materials, or some combination thereof.The suspension component 537 may be connected to and/or coupled to thesupport brackets 520 via adhesive, screws, welds, mechanical means, etc.In some embodiments where a shape memory alloy is used to form some orall of the vibration isolation system 510, the shape memory alloy wouldbe such that its superelastic properties would be used. Superelasticitycan help mitigate breakage and/or strain caused by long term cyclingcomponents (e.g., flexures) of the vibration isolation system 510.

The base flexure 525 suspend plates 285 a, 285 b of the transducer 215from the support brackets 520. The base flexure 525 includes one or morelateral members 540 a, one or more lateral members 540 b, a centralmember 545 and at least two folds. The one or more lateral members 540 acouple the support bracket 520 a to the central member 545, and the oneor more lateral members 540 b couple the support bracket 520 b to thecentral member 545. The central member 545 is coupled to a fold 550 aand a corresponding fold 550 b on the non-visible side of the transducer215 in FIG. 5A. Collectively the folds 550 a, 550 b are referred to asthe folds 550. The folds 550 may be attached to the plates 285 a, 285 bof the transducer 215. For example, the fold 550 a may be attached tothe plate 285 a. Note that in some embodiments, the base flexure 525 isformed from a single monolithic piece of material that has been cut andshaped to function as the base flexure 525. In other embodiments, someor all of the base flexure 525 is formed of discrete pieces that haveare coupled together. For example, the folds 550 may cut from on pieceof material and are coupled (e.g., glued or welded) to the centralmember 545 which was cut from a different piece of material (could bethe same type or different type of material). Some or all of the baseflexure 525 may be formed from, e.g., aluminum, brass, copper, steel,nickel, titanium, a shape memory alloy (e.g., nitinol), alloys,plastics, other suitable types of materials, or some combinationthereof.

The outer flexures 530 a and the outer flexure 530 b (collectively theouter flexures 530) suspend the plates 285 a, 285 b. The outer flexures530 a and the outer flexures 530 b are also joined together via an upperfold along each plate of the transducer 215. For example, as illustratedthe upper fold 560 a joins the outer flexures 530 a to the outer flexure530 b along the plate 285 a, and there is a corresponding upper fold 560b that joins the outer flexures 530 along the non-visible plate 285 b onthe other side of the transducer 215. The upper folds 560 are coupled(and in some cases attached) to the plates 285 a, 285 b via, e.g.,adhesive, screws, welds, mechanical means, etc. For example, the upperfold 560 a is coupled (and in some cases attached) to the plate 285 a.

The middle flexure 535 a and the middle flexure 535 b (collectivelymiddle flexures 535) suspend a rigid structure 270 of the transducer 215from the support brackets 520. In the illustrated embodiment each of themiddle flexures 535 includes two members which run on either side of acutout. In other embodiments, one or both of the middle flexures 535 mayhave more or less members, and the size, shape, number, or somecombination thereof, of the cutouts may be different.

The base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and the middle flexures535 each have specific spring constants that may be the same ordifferent from each other. Together the base flexure 525, the outerflexures 530, and the middle flexures 535 dampen vibrations in thetransducer system 500 caused by motion of the transducer 215 along theaxis 515. In one embodiment, one or more flexures (e.g., the baseflexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and/or the middle flexures 535) maybe composed of conductive material (e.g., cartridge brass) such that oneor more flexures can provide current to/from the transducer 215. In someembodiments, some portions of the one or more flexures and/or otherflexures are also electrically insulated.

Each of the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and the middleflexures 535 compresses and/or extends due to the weight and/orvibrations of the transducer 215. In the embodiment of FIG. 5A, each ofthe base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and the middle flexures535 flexes in a direction along an axis 515 or parallel to the axis 515as the transducer 215 oscillates along the axis 515. The spring constantof each of the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and the middleflexures 535 is pre-determined with the values of the three masses toalign two of the resonances. Accordingly, resonances of the base flexure525, the outer flexures 530, and the middle flexures 535 offset eachother such that vibrations produced by the transducer 215 are isolatedwithin the transducer system 500.

The transducer system 500 in FIG. 5A is shown in a neutral position. Aneutral position for describes the position of the base flexure 525, theouter flexures 530, and the middle flexures 535, and the transducer 215at rest and not under load (e.g., no actuation by the transducer 215).As the transducer 215 actuates, the rigid structure 570 may moverelative to the plates coupled to the magnets along the axis 515,thereby increasing or decreasing flexure in one or more of the baseflexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and the middle flexures 535. Theneutral position of the transducer system 500 is one of many possiblepositions within a range of positions. The range of positions is boundedby a lower boundary position and an upper boundary position. The lowerboundary position occurs when the coil assembly has displaced a maximumnegative distance (i.e., direction towards the central member 545), andthe upper boundary position occurs when the coil assembly has displaceda maximum positive distance (i.e., direction away the central member545).

Note that some portion of the transducer system 500 may be used to drivea membrane of a speaker and/or provide audio content via tissueconduction (e.g., bone conduction and/or cartilage conduction). Forexample, a portion of the rigid structure 270 and/or the suspensioncomponent 537 may be used to provide vibration to a membrane for airconduction, or a material that couples vibrations to the user (e.g., fortissue conduction).

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the transducer system 500 of FIG. 5A ina lower boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the coilassembly has moved in a negative direction along the axis 515. Note therelative changes in the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, andthe middle flexures 535 due to the change in position of the componentsof the transducer 215. And relative to the transducer system 500 in theneutral position, at least a portion of the outer flexures 530 is abovethe middle flexures 535, and portions of the base flexure 525 haveflexed such that the central member 545 has moved in a positivedirection along the axis 515.

FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the transducer system 500 of FIG. 5A inan upper boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the coilassembly has moved in a positive direction along the axis 515. Note therelative changes in the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, andthe middle flexures 535 due to the change in position of the componentsof the transducer 215. And relative to the transducer system 500 in theneutral position, at least a portion of the outer flexures 530 is belowthe middle flexures 535, and portions of the base flexure 525 haveflexed such that the central member 545 has moved in a negativedirection along the axis 515.

FIG. 5D is a cross section of the transducer system 500 of FIG. 5A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments. As described above with regardto FIG. 2B, the transducer 215 includes at least magnets 265 a, 265 b,265 c, 265 d, a rigid structure 270, and plates 285 a, 285 b. Note inthis view both of the upper folds 560 a and 560 b, both of the folds 550a and 550 b, and the base members 522 a and 522 b are shown. Asdescribed above with regard to FIG. 2B, a first sub-assembly includesthe rigid structure 270 and the coil assembly 280, and the firstsub-assembly moves relative to a second sub-assembly that includes themagnets 265 a, 265 b, 265 c, 265 d and the plates 285 a, 285 b.

The first portion of the transducers 215 is coupled to the vibrationisolation system via the upper folds 560 of the outer flexures 530 andthe folds 550 of the base flexure 522. And the rigid structure 270 issuspended from the support brackets 520 via the middle flexures 535 (notshown) of the suspension component 537.

The first portion of the transducer 215 moves independent from the rigidstructure 270 (that includes the coil assembly 280) along the axis 515or an axis parallel to the axis 515. Note that the first portion maymove in a same direction or in an opposite direction as the rigidstructure 270. The base members 522 a are coupled to the supportbrackets 520 and are static.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a transducer system 600, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. In the embodiment of FIG. 6A, thetransducer system 600 includes a transducer 605 integrated within avibration isolation system 610. In the embodiment of FIG. 6A, thetransducer 605 substantially oscillates along an axis 615. The vibrationisolation system 610 may be attached to a device (e.g., eyewear device100) via one or more securing mechanisms, adhesives, mating interfaces,or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the transducer system600 may be nested within a reciprocal cavity on the device.

Note that the transducer system 600 is substantially the same as thetransducer system 500 except that it uses a modified vibration isolationsystem 610 and a different transducer 605. The vibration isolationsystem 610 is substantially the same as the vibration isolation system510 except how the suspension component 637 couples to the transducer605. In FIG. 5A, the suspension component 537 coupled to the rigidstructure 270. In contrast, in FIG. 6A, the transducer 605 is structuredsimilar to that of transducer 305 (magnets centrally located instead ofon the periphery) and the suspension component 637 includes a coilassembly folds 682 a and a coil assembly fold 682 b (collectivelyreferred to as coil assembly folds 682) that couple to a coil assemblyof the transducer 605.

Note as illustrated the middle flexures 535, the outer flexures 530, andthe coil assembly folds 682 are part of a single suspension component637. The suspension component 637 is formed from a single monolithicpiece of material that has been cut and shaped to form a singlesuspension component that includes the middle flexures 535, the outerflexures 530, the upper folds 560, and the coil assembly folds 682.Additionally, note that the single piece of material of the suspensioncomponent 637 also forms the base members 522. The material may be,e.g., aluminum, brass, copper, steel, nickel, titanium, a shape memoryalloy (e.g., nitinol), alloys, plastics, other suitable types ofmaterials, or some combination thereof. The suspension component 637 maybe connected to and/or coupled to the support brackets 520 via adhesive,screws, welds, mechanical means, etc.

The outer flexures 530 a and the outer flexure 530 b (collectively theouter flexures 530) suspend a plate 655 of the transducer 605. The outerflexures 530 a and the outer flexures 530 b are also joined together viaan upper fold 560. The upper folds 560 are coupled (and in some casesattached) to the plate 655 via, e.g., adhesive, screws, welds,mechanical means, etc. For example, the upper fold 560 a is coupled (andin some cases attached) to the plate 655. Plate 655 is substantiallysimilar to plate 285 in FIG. 5D, in that they serve a same functionalpurpose (e.g., provide a high-permeability, high-saturation flux returnpath around the hard magnets), however they are implemented in differentmanners.

The transducer system 600 in FIG. 6A is shown in a neutral position. Aneutral position for describes the position of the base flexure 525, theouter flexures 530, and the middle flexures 535, and the transducer 605at rest and not under load (e.g., no actuation by the transducer 605).As the transducer 605 actuates, the coil assembly folds 682 (coupled tothe coil assembly) may move relative to the plate 685 (coupled to themagnets) along the axis 615, thereby increasing or decreasing flexure inone or more of the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, and themiddle flexures 535.

Note that some portion of the transducer system 600 may be used to drivea membrane of a speaker and/or provide audio content via tissueconduction (e.g., bone conduction and/or cartilage conduction). Forexample, a portion of the suspension component 637 may be used toprovide vibration to a membrane for air conduction, or a material thatcouples vibrations to the user (e.g., for tissue conduction).

FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the transducer system 600 of FIG. 6A ina lower boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the coilassembly has moved in a negative direction along the axis 615. Note therelative changes in the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, andthe middle flexures 535 due to the change in position of the componentsof the transducer 605. And relative to the transducer system 600 in theneutral position, at least a portion of the outer flexures 530 is abovethe middle flexures 535, and portions of the base flexure 525 haveflexed such that the central member 545 has moved in a positivedirection along the axis 615.

FIG. 6C is a perspective view of the transducer system 600 of FIG. 6A inan upper boundary position at a particular resonance, in accordance withone or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the coilassembly has moved in a positive direction along the axis 615. Note therelative changes in the base flexure 525, the outer flexures 530, andthe middle flexures 535 due to the change in position of the componentsof the transducer 605. And relative to the transducer system 600 in theneutral position, at least a portion of the outer flexures 530 is belowthe middle flexures 535, and portions of the base flexure 525 haveflexed such that the central member 545 has moved in a negativedirection along the axis 615.

FIG. 6D is a cross section of the transducer system 600 of FIG. 6A, inaccordance with one or more embodiments. A first sub-assembly includes acoil assembly 650 and the first sub-assembly moves relative to a secondsub-assembly that includes a magnet assembly 660 and the plate 655.

The magnet assembly 660 provides a magnetic field. The magnet assembly660 includes one or more magnets that are arranged to cause atranslation along the axis 615 responsive to a current being applied tothe coil assembly 650. The magnet assembly 660 is coupled to the plate655. The magnet assembly 660 contributes to the efficiency of thesystem; in general, the larger the magnet, the greater the efficiency.

The coil assembly 650 is a coil of electrically conductive materialarranged such that it may (depending on position of the transducer 605)circumscribe the magnet assembly 660. The coil assembly 650 is coupledto a portion of the suspension component 637 via the coil assembly folds682 a, 682 b (collective referred to herein as 682). After an electricalinput signal is applied to the coil assembly 650 the first sub-assemblyand/or the second sub-assembly may begin to move along the axis 615. Themass of both the magnet assembly 660 and the coil assembly 650 may betuned in addition to spring rates of the suspensions (e.g., the outerflexures 530, the middle flexures 535 and the base flexure 525), butchanging these components have implications for the electromagneticefficiency of the transducer 305

The plate 655 may be made of steel or other structurally solid materialwith sufficient magnetic permeability and a sufficiently high magneticinduction saturation value. The plate 655 may include fasteners for oneor more magnets of the magnet assembly 660 which hold the one or moremagnets in place relative to each other.

The first sub-assembly of the transducer 605 is coupled to the vibrationisolation system 610 via the upper folds 560 of the outer flexures 530and the middle flexures 535 which suspend the first sub-assembly fromthe support brackets 520. The second sub-assembly is coupled to thevibration isolation system via the folds 550 of the base flexure 525.

The second sub-assembly of the transducer 605 moves independent from thefirst sub-assembly (that includes the coil assembly 650) along the axis615 or an axis parallel to the axis 615. Note that the secondsub-assembly may move in a same direction or in an opposite direction asthe first sub-assembly. The base members 522 a are coupled to thesupport brackets 520 and are static.

Turning now to a discussion to help illustrate how vibration isolationsystem disclosed herein mitigate vibration of transducers, FIGS. 7A-7Jbelow discuss various vibration systems. Note that the vibration systemsshown in FIGS. 7A, 7C, 7E, 7G have specific issues which are addressedby the embodiment shown and described by FIGS. 7I and 7J. And theprinciples of the vibration system shown and described by FIGS. 7I and7J are what the vibration isolations systems described above are basedon.

FIG. 7A illustrates a theoretical one-DOF vibration system 700 withoutany vibration isolation features, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. In FIG. 7A, the system 700 includes a load mass 702, anobject mass 704, an auxiliary mass 706, and a spring 708. In someapplications, the load mass 702 represents a mechanical output massloaded by a pinna of a user wearing an eyewear device having atransducer system that is part of a cartilage conduction system.Cartilage conduction systems are described in detail at, e.g., U.S.application Ser. No. 15/967,924, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. The object mass 704 represents a mass of adevice (e.g., an eyewear device). The auxiliary mass 706 represents themass of magnets (e.g., hard and/or soft) in the transducer. The spring708 couples the auxiliary mass 706 to the load mass 702. The auxiliarymass 706 is secured (e.g., via a securing mechanism, adhesive, or othersuitable method) to the object mass 704. Because two of the masses aretied together, this configuration is a 2-mass, 1-spring system. In thisconfiguration, vibrations produced by the auxiliary mass 706 aretransmitted to the object mass 704.

FIG. 7B illustrates an acceleration versus frequency graph 710 for theone-DOF vibration system 700 of FIG. 7A, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The graph 710 plots an acceleration of each mass of thesystem 700 over frequency. As previously described, the auxiliary mass706 is secured to the object mass 704, thus causing auxiliary mass 506to have the same acceleration as the object mass 704. FIG. 7Billustrates in this “hard-mounting” scenario the acceleration of theobject mass 704 is not substantially different from load mass 702, i.e.substantial vibration goes into the device.

FIG. 7C illustrates a second theoretical vibration isolation system 712,in accordance with one or more embodiments. In FIG. 7C, the system 712includes the load mass 702, the object mass 704, the auxiliary mass 706,a spring 720, and a spring 725. The spring 720 couples the auxiliarymass 706 to the load mass 702. The spring 725 couples the auxiliary mass706 to the object mass 704. This configuration is a 3-mass, 2-springsystem. In this configuration, the auxiliary mass 706 is suspendedbetween the load mass 702 and the object mass 704. A force-pair isgenerated between the load and auxiliary mass.

FIG. 7D illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph 730 for thevibration isolation system 712 of FIG. 7C, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. FIG. 7D illustrates that the acceleration of theobject mass 704 is significantly isolated from the acceleration of theload mass 702. However, this implementation is undesirable because ofthe notch in the mechanical output (the load mass response).

FIG. 7E illustrates a third theoretical vibration isolation system 735,in accordance with one or more embodiments. In FIG. 7E, the system 735includes the load mass 702, the object mass 704, the auxiliary mass 706,a spring 740, and a spring 745. The spring 740 couples the load mass 702to the object mass 704. The spring 745 couples the auxiliary mass 706 tothe load mass 702. This configuration is a 3-mass, 2-spring system. Inthis configuration, the auxiliary mass 706 is suspended from the loadmass 702. A force-pair is generated between the load and auxiliary mass.The spring 740 mechanically attaches the transducer to the device andserves to decouple the device from the transducer vibrations.

FIG. 7F illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph 750 for thevibration isolation system 735 of FIG. 7E, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. FIG. 7F illustrates that the acceleration of the loadmass 702 is substantially larger than the acceleration of the objectmass 704 thus providing significant decoupling of the transducer fromthe device after approximately 100 Hz.

FIG. 7G illustrates a fourth theoretical vibration isolation system 755,in accordance with one or more embodiments. In FIG. 7G, the system 755includes the load mass 702, the object mass 704, the auxiliary mass 706,a spring 760, and a spring 765. The spring 760 couples the load mass 702to the object mass 704. The spring 765 couples the auxiliary mass 706 tothe object mass 704. This configuration is a 3-mass, 2-spring system. Inthis configuration, the auxiliary mass 706 is suspended from the objectmass 704. The auxiliary mass 706 and the spring 765 can be tuned to forma dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) for the transducer, but does notprovide any direct coupling between the load mass 702 and the auxiliarymass 706 where the force-pair is generated and that is usually desiredfor tight alignment between a voice-coil and magnets of the transducerso that this is not a practical embodiment.

FIG. 7H illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph 770 for thevibration isolation system 755 of FIG. 7G, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. Similar to FIG. 7F, FIG. 7H illustrates that theacceleration of the object mass 702 is closely correlated with theacceleration of the auxiliary mass 706 and then decreases relative tothe acceleration of the auxiliary mass 706 after a second resonance ofthe system (e.g., at approximately 100 Hz).

FIG. 7I illustrates a fifth theoretical vibration isolation system 775,in accordance with one or more embodiments. In FIG. 7I, the system 775includes the load mass 702, the object mass 704, the auxiliary mass 706,a spring 780, a spring 785, and a spring 790. The spring 780 couples theload mass 702 to the object mass 704. The spring 785 couples theauxiliary mass 706 to the load mass 702. A force-pair is generatedbetween the load and auxiliary mass. The spring 790 couples theauxiliary mass 706 (transducer) to the object mass 704. Thisconfiguration is a 3-mass, 3-spring system. In this configuration, theauxiliary mass 706 is suspended between the load mass 702 and the objectmass 704.

FIG. 7J illustrates an acceleration vs frequency graph 795 for thevibration isolation system 775 of FIG. 7I, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. FIG. 7J illustrates that the acceleration of theobject mass 704 is significantly isolated from the load mass 702, morethan is seen in FIGS. 7B, 7D, 7F, and 7H. The larger separationcorelates to increased performance in isolating motion of a transducerfrom the transferring to the object (e.g., frame of eyewear device). Inthis configuration, the resonance created by spring 790 and theauxiliary mass 706 absorb vibrations transmitted to the object mass 704.Isolating the vibrations of the load mass 702 and the auxiliary mass 706reduces the likelihood of the vibrations being carried to othercomponents of a device to which the system 775 is coupled and minimizesmechanical and acoustomechanical coupling. This configuration is whatthe vibration isolation systems discussed above with regard to FIGS.2A-6D are based off of.

FIG. 8 is a first example of a suspension component 800, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. The suspension component 800 may be usedwithin a transducer vibration isolation system. The suspension component800 make up one or more parts of a vibration isolation system (e.g.,second bracket flexures 330 and middle flexures 335 of FIG. 3A). In theembodiment of FIG. 8, the suspension component 800 comprises a bodyformed from a single piece of planar material. A first spring assembly806 of the body and a second spring assembly 808 of the body are definedby a first axis 810 that bisects the body. Each of the spring assembliesmay include one or more flexures (that include one or more flexuresegments) which are integrally formed from the body of the suspensioncomponent 800. The first spring assembly 806 and the second springassembly 808 are configured to flex such that the suspension component800 moves along an axis 815 (corresponds to an axis of motion of atransducer that the suspension component may be coupled to).

The first spring assembly 806 includes a flexure segment 825 a, 825 band a flexure segment 830 a. Similarly, the second spring assembly 808includes a flexure segment 825 c, 825 d and a flexure segment 830 b. Theflexure segments 825 a-825 d (collectively referred to as flexuresegments 825) are configured to couple the suspension component 800 tosupport brackets (e.g., the support brackets 320). The flexure segments825 are substantially planar and rectangular, but the geometry of theflexure segments 825 may vary in other embodiments. In otherembodiments, the number, geometry, and arrangement of flexure segments825 of the first spring assembly 806 and/or the second spring assembly808 may vary. In the illustrated embodiment, the flexure segments arelocated such that they are symmetric with respect to both the first axis810, but also a second axis 835. And the first axis 810 and the secondaxis 835 are orthogonal to each other and intersect at a vertex pointlocated at a center of the suspension component 800. In otherembodiments, the number, geometry, and arrangement (e.g., may have anasymmetric arrangement) of flexure segments 825 of the first springassembly 806 and/or the second spring assembly 808 may be modified toachieve one or more specific spring constants. For example, a lengthand/or a width of each flexure segment may be increased or decreased toincrease or decrease a stiffness of each flexure segment.

The flexure segment 830 a and the flexure segment 830 b (collectivelyreferred to as flexure segments 830) are also formed from the body ofthe suspension component 800. As illustrated, the flexure segments 830are substantially curved and have a same radius of curvature, but thegeometry of the flexure segments 830 may vary in other embodiments. Notethat compliance of a spring scales with effective length, accordinglyincreasing the effective length of the flexure segments 830 can alsoincrease their compliance. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement of flexure segments 830 of the first spring assembly 806and/or the second spring assembly 808 may vary. In the illustratedembodiment, the flexure segments 830 are located such that they aresymmetric with respect to both the first axis 810 and the second axis835. In other embodiments, the number, geometry, and arrangement (e.g.,may have an asymmetric arrangement) of flexure segments 830 of the firstspring assembly 806 and/or the second spring assembly 808 may bemodified to achieve one or more specific spring constants. For example,a length and/or a width of each flexure segment may be increased ordecreased to increase or decrease a stiffness of each flexure segment.

In some embodiments, a portion of each flexure segment 830 couples tothe lower portion (e.g., the sub-assembly 340) of a transducer (e.g.,via a securing mechanism, adhesive, respective mating interfaces,solder, some combination thereof, or other suitable securing methods).As illustrated in FIG. 8, the flexure segments 830 of the are positionedbetween the flexure segments 825. Positioning the flexure segments 830between the flexure segments 825 minimizes the number of componentswithin the transducer vibration isolation system, thereby saving spaceand enabling a smaller form factor for the transducer vibrationisolation system.

In one embodiment, the suspension component 800 is composed of sheetmetal that is formed to create the first spring assembly 806 and thesecond spring assembly 808. The sheet metal may be formed via bending,roll forming, deep drawing, stretch forming, shape-setting, or othersuitable manufacturing processes. The sheet metal may be pre-processedto create the flexure segments of the first spring assembly 806 and thesecond spring assembly 808. In other words, a shape of each flexuresegment may be cut into the sheet metal before one or more flexuresegments are formed into a final geometry. After the flexure segmentsare cut and formed, post-processing may include an electrodepositedcoating. The sheet metal may be composed of aluminum, brass, copper,steel, nickel, titanium, alloys, or other suitable types of metal. Inone embodiment, the suspension component 800 is composed of nitinol, ashape memory alloy, that is shape set by applying heat to the suspensioncomponent 800 in its desired geometry. A thickness of the sheet metalmay range between 25 um and 500 um. The thickness of the sheet metal maybe selected to modify the spring constants associated with the flexuresof the first spring assembly 806 and the second spring assembly 808.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the suspension component 800 is symmetricabout the first axis 810. In some embodiments, the suspension component800 is also symmetric about the second axis 835 that bisects the body.The symmetrical design of the suspension component 800 improves thestability of the suspension component 800 within the transducervibration isolation system by minimizing a likelihood of the suspensioncomponent 800 exhibiting unintended degrees of freedom: swinging backand forth, rocking, twisting, etc. as the transducer producesvibrations. In alternate embodiments, a suspension component may berotationally symmetric. Alternate embodiments of suspension componentsare discussed with regard to FIGS. 9-11B.

FIG. 9 is a second example of a suspension component 900, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. The suspension component 900 may be usedwithin a transducer vibration isolation system. The suspension component900 may be used within a transducer vibration isolation system. Thesuspension component 900 make up one or more parts of a vibrationisolation system (e.g., second bracket flexures 330 and middle flexures335 of FIG. 3A). In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the suspension component900 comprises a body formed from a single piece of planar material. Afirst spring assembly 906 of the body and a second spring assembly 908of the body are defined by the first axis 810 that bisects the body.Each of the spring assemblies may include one or more flexures (thatinclude one or more flexure segments) which are integrally formed fromthe body of the suspension component 900. The first spring assembly 906and the second spring assembly 908 are configured to flex such that thesuspension component 900 moves along the axis 815 (corresponds to anaxis of motion of a transducer that the suspension component may becoupled to).

The suspension component 900 is substantially the same as the suspensioncomponent 800 except that its spring assemblies include additionalflexure segments. The first spring assembly 906 includes the flexuresegments 825 a, 825 b, the flexure segment 830 a, and a flexure segment935 a. Similarly, the second spring assembly 908 includes the flexuresegments 825 c, 825 d, the flexure segment 830 b, and a flexure segment935 b.

The flexure segment 935 a and the flexure segment 935 b (collectivelyreferred to as flexure segments 935) are also formed from the body ofthe suspension component 900. As illustrated, the flexure segments 935are substantially curved and have a same radius of curvature, but thegeometry of the flexure segments 935 may vary in other embodiments. Theflexures 935 are folded in from a center of the suspension component 900such that there is an opening between the two flexure segment 935 a andthe flexure segment 935 b. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement of flexure segments 935 of the first spring assembly 906and/or the second spring assembly 908 may vary. In the illustratedembodiment, the flexure segments 935 are located such that they aresymmetric with respect to both the first axis 810 and the second axis835. In other embodiments, the number, geometry, and arrangement (e.g.,may have an asymmetric arrangement) of flexure segments 935 of the firstspring assembly 906 and/or the second spring assembly 908 may bemodified to achieve one or more specific spring constants. For example,a length and/or a width of each flexure segment may be increased ordecreased to increase or decrease a stiffness of each flexure segment.

In some embodiments, a portion of each flexure segment 935 couples to asub-assembly (e.g., the sub-assembly 340) of a transducer (e.g., via asecuring mechanism, adhesive, respective mating interfaces, solder, somecombination thereof, or other suitable securing methods). As illustratedin FIG. 9, the flexure segments 935 of the are positioned between theflexure segments 830 along the second axis 835. Positioning the flexuresegments 835 between the flexure segments 830 minimizes the number ofcomponents within the transducer vibration isolation system, therebysaving space and enabling a smaller form factor for the transducervibration isolation system.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a first example of a suspensioncomponent 1000, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Thesuspension component 1000 may be used within a transducer vibrationisolation system. The suspension component 1000 may be used within atransducer vibration isolation system. In the embodiment of FIG. 10A,the suspension component 1000 comprises a body formed from a singlepiece of planar material. A first spring assembly 1006 of the body and asecond spring assembly 1008 of the body are defined by a first axis 1010that bisects the body. Each of the spring assemblies may include one ormore flexures (that include one or more flexure segments) which areintegrally formed from the body of the suspension component 1000. Thefirst spring assembly 1006 and the second spring assembly 1008 areconfigured to flex such that the suspension component 1000 moves alongthe axis 1015 (corresponds to an axis of motion of a transducer that thesuspension component may be coupled to).

The first spring assembly 1006 includes a flexure segment 1020 a and aflexure segment 1020 b. Similarly, the second spring assembly 1008includes a flexure segment 1020 c and a flexure segment 1020 d. Theflexure segments 1020 a-1020 d (collectively referred to as flexuresegments 1020) are configured to couple the suspension component 1000 toa portion of a transducer. Note each of the flexure segments 1020includes a corresponding protruding tab, specifically, the flexuresegments 1020 a, 1020 b, 1020 c, and 1020 d include respectiveprotruding tabs 1025 a, 1025 b, 1025 c, and 1025 d (collectivelyprotruding tabs 1025). The protruding tabs 1025 may facilitate a strongcoupling to the transducer. The protruding tabs 1025 may couple to aportion of the transducer via securing mechanisms, adhesive, respectivemating interfaces, solder, some combination thereof, or other suitablesecuring methods. In some embodiments, the protruding tabs 1025 areremovably coupled to the portion of the transducer.

In the illustrated embodiment, the flexure segments 1020 aresubstantially planar, but the geometry of the flexure segments 1020 mayvary in other embodiments. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement of flexure segments 1020 of the first spring assembly1006 and/or the second spring assembly 1008 may vary. In the illustratedembodiment, the flexure segments 1020 are located such that they aresymmetric with respect to both the first axis 1010, but also a secondaxis 1035. And the first axis 1010 and the second axis 1035 orthogonalto each other and intersect at a vertex point located at a center of thesuspension component 1000. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement (e.g., may have an asymmetric arrangement) of flexuresegments 1020 of the first spring assembly 1006 and/or the second springassembly 1008 may be modified to achieve one or more specific springconstants. For example, a length and/or a width of each flexure segmentmay be increased or decreased to increase or decrease a stiffness ofeach flexure segment.

In some embodiments, the body of the suspension component 1000 mayinclude one or more cutouts to modify one or more spring constants ofthe flexure segments 1020 of the first spring assembly 1006 and/or thespring assembly 1008. For example, as illustrated the first springassembly 1006 includes cutouts 1045 a and 1050 a, and the second springassembly 1008 includes cutouts 1045 b and 1050 b. In other embodiments,the size of and/or number of cutouts may differ from what is in FIG.10A. Note that the body of the suspension component 1000 also includes afolded edge 1040 a and a folded edge 1040 b (collectively referred to asfolded edges 1040) on respective long sides of the suspension component1000. The folded edges 1040 provide additional structural stability tothe suspension component 1000 and can act to increase stiffness of thesuspension component 1000. The increased rigidity imparted to thesuspension component 1000 may make it easier to handle (e.g., install)without deformation while having little to no impact on stiffness of theflexures.

FIG. 10B is a top view of the first example of the suspension component1000 of FIG. 10A, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Asillustrated in FIG. 10B, the suspension component 1000 is symmetricabout one or more axes.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a second example of a suspensioncomponent 1100, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Thesuspension component 1100 may be used within a transducer vibrationisolation system. In the embodiment of FIG. 11A, the suspensioncomponent 1100 comprises a body formed from a single piece of planarmaterial. A first spring assembly 1106 of the body and a second springassembly 1108 of the body are defined by a first axis 1110 that bisectsthe body. Each of the spring assemblies may include one or more flexures(that include one or more flexure segments) which are integrally formedfrom the body of the suspension component 1100. The first springassembly 1106 and the second spring assembly 1108 are configured to flexsuch that the suspension component 1100 moves along the axis 1115(corresponds to an axis of motion of a transducer that the suspensioncomponent may be coupled to).

The first spring assembly 1106 includes a flexure segment 1120 a, aflexure segment 1120 b, and a flexure segment 1125 a. Similarly, secondspring assembly 1108 includes a flexure segment 1120 c, a flexuresegment 1120 d, and a flexure segment 1125 b. The flexure segments 1120a-1020 d (collectively referred to as flexure segments 1120) areconfigured to couple the suspension component 1100 to a portion of atransducer. Note each of the flexure segments 1120 includes acorresponding protruding tab, specifically, the flexure segments 1120 a,1120 b, 1120 c, and 1120 d include respective protruding tabs 1130 a,1130 b, 1130 c, and 1130 d (collectively protruding tabs 1130). Theprotruding tabs 1130 may facilitate a strong coupling to the transducer.The protruding tabs 1130 may couple to a portion of the transducer viasecuring mechanisms, adhesive, respective mating interfaces, solder,some combination thereof, or other suitable securing methods. In someembodiments, the protruding tabs 1130 are removably coupled to theportion of the transducer.

In the illustrated embodiment, the flexure segments 1120 aresubstantially planar, but the geometry of the flexure segments 1120 mayvary in other embodiments. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement of flexure segments 1120 of the first spring assembly1106 and/or the second spring assembly 1108 may vary. In the illustratedembodiment, the flexure segments 1120 are located such that they aresymmetric with respect to both the first axis 1110, but also a secondaxis 1135. And the first axis 1110 and the second axis 1135 orthogonalto each other and intersect at a vertex point located at a center of thesuspension component 1100. In other embodiments, the number, geometry,and arrangement (e.g., may have an asymmetric arrangement) of flexuresegments 1120 of the first spring assembly 1106 and/or the second springassembly 1108 may be modified to achieve one or more specific springconstants. For example, a length and/or a width of each flexure segmentmay be increased or decreased to increase or decrease a stiffness ofeach flexure segment.

In some embodiments, the body of the suspension component 1100 mayinclude one or more cutouts. The cutouts may be used to, e.g., provide amounting location or mechanical interlock to a rigid structure(including a coil assembly) of a transducer. For example, the suspensioncomponent 1100 includes a notch 1150. The notch 1150 may couple to arigid structure (e.g., the rigid structure 270) of the transducer. Thecutouts may also be used to modify one or more spring constants of theflexure segments 1120 of the first spring assembly 1106 and/or thespring assembly 1108. For example, as illustrated the first springassembly 1106 includes a cutout 1145 a and the second spring assembly1108 includes cutout 1145 b. In other embodiments, the size of and/ornumber of cutouts may differ from what is in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 11B is a top view of the second example of the suspension componentof FIG. 11B, in accordance with one or more embodiments. As illustratedin FIG. 11B, the suspension component 1100 is symmetric about one ormore axes.

Aspects of each example suspension component described herein may beused in combination with another.

Example System Environment

FIG. 12 is a system environment of an eyewear device, in accordance withone or more embodiments. The system 1200 may operate in an artificialreality environment. The system 1200 shown in FIG. 12 includes aneyewear device 1205 and an input/output (I/O) interface 1210 that iscoupled to a console 1215. The eyewear device 1205 may be an embodimentof the eyewear device 100. While FIG. 12 shows an example system 1200including one eyewear device 1205 and one I/O interface 1210, in otherembodiments any number of these components may be included in the system1200. For example, there may be multiple eyewear devices 1205 eachhaving an associated I/O interface 1210 with each eyewear device 1205and I/O interface 1210 communicating with the console 1215. Inalternative configurations, different and/or additional components maybe included in the system 1200. Additionally, functionality described inconjunction with one or more of the components shown in FIG. 12 may bedistributed among the components in a different manner than described inconjunction with FIG. 12 in some embodiments. For example, some or allof the functionality of the console 1215 is provided by the eyeweardevice 1205.

In some embodiments, the eyewear device 1205 may correct or enhance thevision of a user, protect the eye of a user, or provide images to auser. The eyewear device 1205 may be eyeglasses which correct fordefects in a user's eyesight. The eyewear device 1205 may be sunglasseswhich protect a user's eye from the sun. The eyewear device 1205 may besafety glasses which protect a user's eye from impact. The eyeweardevice 1205 may be a night vision device or infrared goggles to enhancea user's vision at night. Alternatively, the eyewear device 1205 may notinclude lenses and may be just a frame with an audio system 1220 thatprovides audio (e.g., music, radio, podcasts) to a user.

In some embodiments, the eyewear device 1205 may be a head-mounteddisplay that presents content to a user comprising augmented views of aphysical, real-world environment with computer-generated elements (e.g.,two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D) images, 2D or 3D video,sound, etc.). In some embodiments, the presented content includes audiothat is presented via an audio system 1220 that receives audioinformation from the eyewear device 1205, the console 1215, or both, andpresents audio data based on the audio information. In some embodiments,the eyewear device 1205 presents virtual content to the user that isbased in part on a real environment surrounding the user. For example,virtual content may be presented to a user of the eyewear device. Theuser physically may be in a room, and virtual walls and a virtual floorof the room are rendered as part of the virtual content. In theembodiment of FIG. 12, the eyewear device 1205 includes an audio system1220, an electronic display 1225, an optics block 1230, a positionsensor 1235, a depth camera assembly (DCA) 1240, and an inertialmeasurement (IMU) unit 1245. Some embodiments of the eyewear device 1205have different components than those described in conjunction with FIG.12. Additionally, the functionality provided by various componentsdescribed in conjunction with FIG. 12 may be distributed differentlyamong the components of the eyewear device 1205 in other embodiments orbe captured in separate assemblies remote from the eyewear device 1205.

The audio system 1220 detects sound in a local environment surroundingthe eyewear device 1205. The audio system 1220 may include a microphonearray, a controller, and a speaker assembly, among other components. Themicrophone array detects sounds within a local area surrounding themicrophone array. The microphone array may include a plurality ofacoustic sensors that each detect air pressure variations of a soundwave and convert the detected sounds into an electronic format (analogor digital). The plurality of acoustic sensors may be positioned on aneyewear device (e.g., eyewear device 100), on a user (e.g., in an earcanal of the user), on a neckband, or some combination thereof. Thespeaker assembly provides audio content using, e.g., cartilageconduction and/or bone conduction technologies. Cartilage conduction andbone conduction systems are described in detail at, e.g., U.S.application Ser. No. 15/967,924, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. The speaker assembly includes one or moretransducer systems used to provide audio content to the user of theeyewear device 1205. The transducer systems could be any one of thetransducer systems shown and described above and/or transducers coupledto suspension components as shown and described above.

The electronic display 1225 displays 2D or 3D images to the user inaccordance with data received from the console 1215. In variousembodiments, the electronic display 1225 comprises a single electronicdisplay or multiple electronic displays (e.g., a display for each eye ofa user). Examples of the electronic display 1225 include: a liquidcrystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display,an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode display (AMOLED), someother display, or some combination thereof.

The optics block 1230 magnifies image light received from the electronicdisplay 1225, corrects optical errors associated with the image light,and presents the corrected image light to a user of the eyewear device1205. The electronic display 1225 and the optics block 1230 may be anembodiment of the lens 110. In various embodiments, the optics block1230 includes one or more optical elements. Example optical elementsincluded in the optics block 1230 include: an aperture, a Fresnel lens,a convex lens, a concave lens, a filter, a reflecting surface, or anyother suitable optical element that affects image light. Moreover, theoptics block 1230 may include combinations of different opticalelements. In some embodiments, one or more of the optical elements inthe optics block 1230 may have one or more coatings, such as partiallyreflective or anti-reflective coatings.

Magnification and focusing of the image light by the optics block 1230allows the electronic display 1225 to be physically smaller, weigh less,and consume less power than larger displays. Additionally, magnificationmay increase the field of view of the content presented by theelectronic display 1225. For example, the field of view of the displayedcontent is such that the displayed content is presented using almost all(e.g., approximately 110 degrees diagonal), and in some cases all, ofthe user's field of view. Additionally, in some embodiments, the amountof magnification may be adjusted by adding or removing optical elements.

In some embodiments, the optics block 1230 may be designed to correctone or more types of optical error. Examples of optical error includebarrel or pincushion distortion, longitudinal chromatic aberrations, ortransverse chromatic aberrations. Other types of optical errors mayfurther include spherical aberrations, chromatic aberrations, or errorsdue to the lens field curvature, astigmatisms, or any other type ofoptical error. In some embodiments, content provided to the electronicdisplay 1225 for display is pre-distorted, and the optics block 1230corrects the distortion when it receives image light from the electronicdisplay 1225 generated based on the content.

The DCA 1240 captures data describing depth information for a local areasurrounding the eyewear device 1205. In one embodiment, the DCA 1240 mayinclude a structured light projector, an imaging device, and acontroller. The captured data may be images captured by the imagingdevice of structured light projected onto the local area by thestructured light projector. In one embodiment, the DCA 1240 may includetwo or more cameras that are oriented to capture portions of the localarea in stereo and a controller. The captured data may be imagescaptured by the two or more cameras of the local area in stereo. Thecontroller computes the depth information of the local area using thecaptured data. Based on the depth information, the controller determinesabsolute positional information of the eyewear device 1205 within thelocal area. The DCA 1240 may be integrated with the eyewear device 1205or may be positioned within the local area external to the eyeweardevice 1205. In the latter embodiment, the controller of the DCA 1240may transmit the depth information to a controller of the audio system1220.

The IMU 1245 is an electronic device that generates data indicating aposition of the eyewear device 1205 based on measurement signalsreceived from one or more position sensors 1235. The one or moreposition sensors 1235 may be an embodiment of the sensor device 115. Aposition sensor 1235 generates one or more measurement signals inresponse to motion of the eyewear device 1205. Examples of positionsensors 1235 include: one or more accelerometers, one or moregyroscopes, one or more magnetometers, another suitable type of sensorthat detects motion, a type of sensor used for error correction of theIMU 1245, or some combination thereof. The position sensors 1235 may belocated external to the IMU 1245, internal to the IMU 1245, or somecombination thereof.

Based on the one or more measurement signals from one or more positionsensors 1235, the IMU 1245 generates data indicating an estimatedcurrent position of the eyewear device 1205 relative to an initialposition of the eyewear device 1205. For example, the position sensors1235 include multiple accelerometers to measure translational motion(forward/back, up/down, left/right) and multiple gyroscopes to measurerotational motion (e.g., pitch, yaw, and roll). In some embodiments, theIMU 1245 rapidly samples the measurement signals and calculates theestimated current position of the eyewear device 1205 from the sampleddata. For example, the IMU 1245 integrates the measurement signalsreceived from the accelerometers over time to estimate a velocity vectorand integrates the velocity vector over time to determine an estimatedcurrent position of a reference point on the eyewear device 1205.Alternatively, the IMU 1245 provides the sampled measurement signals tothe console 1215, which interprets the data to reduce error. Thereference point is a point that may be used to describe the position ofthe eyewear device 1205. The reference point may generally be defined asa point in space or a position related to the eyewear device's 1205orientation and position.

The IMU 1245 receives one or more parameters from the console 1215. Asfurther discussed below, the one or more parameters are used to maintaintracking of the eyewear device 1205. Based on a received parameter, theIMU 1245 may adjust one or more IMU parameters (e.g., sample rate). Insome embodiments, data from the DCA 1240 causes the IMU 1245 to updatean initial position of the reference point so it corresponds to a nextposition of the reference point. Updating the initial position of thereference point as the next calibrated position of the reference pointhelps reduce accumulated error associated with the current positionestimated the IMU 1245. The accumulated error, also referred to as drifterror, causes the estimated position of the reference point to “drift”away from the actual position of the reference point over time. In someembodiments of the eyewear device 1205, the IMU 1245 may be a dedicatedhardware component. In other embodiments, the IMU 1245 may be a softwarecomponent implemented in one or more processors.

The I/O interface 1210 is a device that allows a user to send actionrequests and receive responses from the console 1215. An action requestis a request to perform a particular action. For example, an actionrequest may be an instruction to start or end capture of image or videodata, start or end the audio system 1220 from producing sounds, start orend a calibration process of the eyewear device 1205, or an instructionto perform a particular action within an application. The I/O interface1210 may include one or more input devices. Example input devicesinclude: a keyboard, a mouse, a game controller, or any other suitabledevice for receiving action requests and communicating the actionrequests to the console 1215. An action request received by the I/Ointerface 1210 is communicated to the console 1215, which performs anaction corresponding to the action request. In some embodiments, the I/Ointerface 1215 includes an IMU 1245, as further described above, thatcaptures calibration data indicating an estimated position of the I/Ointerface 1210 relative to an initial position of the I/O interface1210. In some embodiments, the I/O interface 1210 may provide hapticfeedback to the user in accordance with instructions received from theconsole 1215. For example, haptic feedback is provided when an actionrequest is received, or the console 1215 communicates instructions tothe I/O interface 1210 causing the I/O interface 1210 to generate hapticfeedback when the console 1215 performs an action.

The console 1215 provides content to the eyewear device 1205 forprocessing in accordance with information received from one or more of:the eyewear device 1205 and the I/O interface 1210. In the example shownin FIG. 12, the console 1215 includes an application store 1245, atracking module 1250, and an engine 1255. Some embodiments of theconsole 1215 have different modules or components than those describedin conjunction with FIG. 12. Similarly, the functions further describedbelow may be distributed among components of the console 1215 in adifferent manner than described in conjunction with FIG. 12.

The application store 1245 stores one or more applications for executionby the console 1245. An application is a group of instructions, thatwhen executed by a processor, generates content for presentation to theuser. Content generated by an application may be in response to inputsreceived from the user via movement of the eyewear device 1205 or theI/O interface 1210. Examples of applications include: gamingapplications, conferencing applications, video playback applications,calibration processes, or other suitable applications.

The tracking module 1250 calibrates the system environment 1200 usingone or more calibration parameters and may adjust one or morecalibration parameters to reduce error in determination of the positionof the eyewear device 1205 or of the I/O interface 1210. Calibrationperformed by the tracking module 1250 also accounts for informationreceived from the IMU 1245 in the eyewear device 1205 and/or an IMU 1245included in the I/O interface 1210. Additionally, if tracking of theeyewear device 1205 is lost, the tracking module 1250 may re-calibratesome or all of the system environment 1200.

The tracking module 1250 tracks movements of the eyewear device 1205 orof the I/O interface 1210 using information from the one or more sensordevices 1235, the IMU 1245, or some combination thereof. For example,the tracking module 1250 determines a position of a reference point ofthe eyewear device 1205 in a mapping of a local area based oninformation from the eyewear device 1205. The tracking module 1250 mayalso determine positions of the reference point of the eyewear device1205 or a reference point of the I/O interface 1210 using dataindicating a position of the eyewear device 1205 from the IMU 1245 orusing data indicating a position of the I/O interface 1210 from an IMU1245 included in the I/O interface 1210, respectively. Additionally, insome embodiments, the tracking module 1250 may use portions of dataindicating a position or the eyewear device 1205 from the IMU 1245 topredict a future location of the eyewear device 1205. The trackingmodule 1250 provides the estimated or predicted future position of theeyewear device 1205 or the I/O interface 1210 to the engine 1255.

The engine 1255 also executes applications within the system environment1200 and receives position information, acceleration information,velocity information, predicted future positions, audio information, orsome combination thereof of the eyewear device 1205 from the trackingmodule 1250. Based on the received information, the engine 1255determines content to provide to the eyewear device 1205 forpresentation to the user. For example, if the received informationindicates that the user has looked to the left, the engine 1255generates content for the eyewear device 1205 that mirrors the user'smovement in a virtual environment or in an environment augmenting thelocal area with additional content. Additionally, the engine 1255performs an action within an application executing on the console 1215in response to an action request received from the I/O interface 1210and provides feedback to the user that the action was performed. Theprovided feedback may be visual or audible feedback via the eyeweardevice 1205 or haptic feedback via the I/O interface 1210.

Additional Configuration Information

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure have beenpresented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed.Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the abovedisclosure.

Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of thedisclosure in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations ofoperations on information. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are commonly used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively toothers skilled in the art. These operations, while describedfunctionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to beimplemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits,microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient attimes, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, withoutloss of generality. The described operations and their associatedmodules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or anycombinations thereof.

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may beperformed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules,alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, asoftware module is implemented with a computer program productcomprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code,which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or allof the steps, operations, or processes described.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to an apparatus forperforming the operations herein. This apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise ageneral-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfiguredby a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer programmay be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storagemedium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronicinstructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus.Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification mayinclude a single processor or may be architectures employing multipleprocessor designs for increased computing capability.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to a product that isproduced by a computing process described herein. Such a product maycomprise information resulting from a computing process, where theinformation is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readablestorage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer programproduct or other data combination described herein.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principallyselected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not havebeen selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter.It is therefore intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited notby this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodimentsis intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of thedisclosure, which is set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A suspension component comprising: a plurality offlexures that are part of a single piece of material, the plurality offlexures including: a first set of flexures configured to suspend afirst sub-assembly of a transducer from support brackets, the first setof flexures positioned in a first suspension plane, and a second set offlexures configured to suspend a second sub-assembly of the transducerfrom the first sub-assembly, the second set of flexures attached to thefirst sub-assembly in the first suspension plane and attached to thesecond sub-assembly in a second suspension plane, the second suspensionplane located below the first suspension plane.
 2. The suspensioncomponent of claim 1, wherein each flexure segment of the second set offlexures has a same radius of curvature.
 3. The suspension component ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of flexures is positioned symmetricallyabout a first axis that bisects the suspension component.
 4. Thesuspension component of claim 3, wherein the plurality of flexures ispositioned symmetrically about a second axis that is orthogonal to thefirst axis.
 5. The suspension component of claim 1, wherein the secondset of flexures includes at least two flexure that are folded in from anouter edge of the suspension component.
 6. The suspension component ofclaim 5, wherein the second set of flexures includes at least twoadditional flexures that are folded in from a center of the suspensioncomponent.
 7. The suspension component of claim 1, wherein each flexureof the second set of flexures includes a corresponding protruding tabthat is configured to couple to a portion of the first sub-assembly ofthe transducer.
 8. The suspension component of claim 1, wherein thesingle piece of material has a rectangular configuration with two longsides and two short sides, and the first set of flexures includes atleast one flexure at each corner of the suspension component.
 9. Thesuspension component of claim 1, wherein the first set of flexuresincludes a single flexure for each support bracket.
 10. The suspensioncomponent of claim 1, wherein the suspension component includes one ormore cutouts.
 11. The suspension component of claim 10, wherein the oneor more cutouts include a notch that is configured to couple a rigidstructure of the first sub-assembly.
 12. The suspension component ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of flexures is composed of a conductivematerial and are configured to provide electrical signals to thetransducer.
 13. The suspension component of claim 12, wherein thematerial is selected from a group comprising: aluminum, brass, copper,steel, nickel, titanium, alloys, and a shape memory alloy.
 14. Thesuspension component of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexures areconfigured to flex such that motion of the suspension component is alongan axis that bisects and is normal to a center of the suspensioncomponent.
 15. The suspension component of claim 1, wherein thesuspension component is part of a vibration isolation system positionedon an arm of an eyewear device.
 16. The suspension component of claim15, wherein the suspension component is configured to damp vibrationsproduced by the transducer.
 17. The suspension component of claim 1,wherein resonances of the suspension component are configured to reduceacceleration of a device coupled to the suspension component, theacceleration caused by movement of the transducer.
 18. The suspensioncomponent of claim 1, wherein flexure segments of the first set offlexures have a different effective spring constant than flexuresegments of the second set of flexures.
 19. The suspension component ofclaim 1, wherein a third set of flexures suspends the secondsub-assembly from the support brackets.
 20. The suspension component ofclaim 19, wherein flexure segments of the first set of flexures have adifferent effective spring constant than flexure segments of the thirdset of flexures.